


Unnecessararily Convoluted Plan

by NotADragon



Category: SKAM (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff, this is really just yousana
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-05
Updated: 2017-07-06
Packaged: 2018-11-28 05:58:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11411664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NotADragon/pseuds/NotADragon
Summary: Sana has a problem. Yousef has a solution. One night of fake dating him might solve Sana's problem, but it might also be too much for her feelings to bear.Oops, I added an epilogue featuring Engaged!Yousana. I'm so sorry, it is entirely fluff.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Mostly canon compliant except:  
> 1) Noora doesn't actually show Sana the texts.  
> 2) Yousef doesn't take any ridiculous trip to Turkey.  
> So Yousef is still around in the summer, but Sana doesn't know how he feels.

“Umm Sana?”

She bolted upright almost tipping the chair over backwards. She had been sitting with her head in her hands on the kitchen table when she heard Elias walk in to the room. Except it wasn’t Elias. It was Yousef. 

“I didn’t realize that Elias had you guys over today.”

“Just me, actually. But what’s wrong?”

Sana shook her head and tried to give him a small smile. “Nothing.”

Yousef wasn’t buying it. He walked around behind her to the chair on her other side. He spun it around to sit backwards on it, facing her, arms casually draped over the top of the chair back. “Right. Because you normally take naps in the kitchen.”

She tried to give him her best unimpressed face, but her heart wasn’t in it. Not with Yousef.

“Tell me what’s bothering you and I’ll see if I can help.”

“I don’t see how you can.”

“I don’t see either, but that’s only because you haven’t told me what the problem is yet. Let me at least try.”

He looked so earnest. How could she say no that face. She sighed and turned away. “I’ve been tricked.”

“Tricked how? By who?”

“My aunt dropped by today. She told me all about how her friend is moving here and how she is worried about her friend’s kids not knowing anyone in Oslo. She told me the oldest is ’98 and is starting university in the fall but doesn’t know a soul. She asked if I would act as a tour guide on Friday.

“I told her that I already had plans. That my friend is having a party. Noora. She pointed out that a party would be perfect for meeting new people, so I agreed.”

“I’m still not seeing the big problem here.”

“My aunt conveniently left out that his name is Emir.”

“And you secretly hate all guys named Emir.” She knew that he was teasing her, and worse she knew how adorably he would be smiling at her if she looked at him.

He didn’t get it. “If she wanted Emir to make friends, she would have asked Elias. This is a setup. A date.”

She glanced over at him and for a brief second she thought he looked disappointed. Upset. But no, it was gone and he just seemed concerned. She was projecting. It was her who was disappointed and upset. She didn’t want to be set up by her family. She didn’t want to date… or well, she didn’t want to date some guy she didn’t know. Or any guy except…

“And you can’t just tell her that you don’t want to date him?”

“No, because she didn’t mention dating so if I bring it up, then I’m never going to live it down. So I have to take him to the party. But then I’m sure she’ll just invite over for dinner, and that he will happen to be my brother’s wedding. And she’ll get his mother in on it, and then mine, and two years from now I will still find myself ducking him at every family event.”

“Wow. You have this all already figured this out already.”

This was hopeless. Sana collapsed on the table again, her head cradled in her arms.  Her hoodie muffled her when she spoke. “My aunts did this to my cousin a few years ago. The wedding for them was last month.”

“Maybe uhh maybe it won’t actually be that bad. Maybe you will umm actually like him. And he will obviously like you and it could actually be okay.”

It’s too much. Yousef talking about her and another guy. She didn’t think she could feel worse today than she did before he walked in the kitchen. It’s too much and she snaps. “I thought you said you were going to help me.” The look she gives him is cold enough to make him hold up his hands in surrender.

“Sorry, I was just – sorry. Okay, if you are sure you don’t want to date him, then let’s fix this. We just need a way to make him not fall hopelessly in love with you so that he won’t go along with your aunt’s intentions.”

He was smiling again and Sana was trying not to focus on the word ‘we’, but she felt herself melting. Dammit.

“Yeah, and if I turn up to Eva’s with a guy, my friends are going to be all over me no matter what I say. You’ve met Vilde. She’ll never stop trying to hook us up. She’ll be worse than my aunt.”

Yousef nodded. “You’re not wrong, but I think you just stumbled across the solution too.”

“Huh?” She quirked her eyebrow, utterly confused. 

“If you bring a guy with you, your friends will be all over you about it.”

“How is that the solution? That is literally the whole problem to begin with.”

“No, the problem is which guy it is. Take me. Let me be your fake boyfriend.”

“My – what?!”

He wanted her to date him. Fake date him. He would be her boyfriend. Fake boyfriend. This was much too much for her to handle.

Yousef pushed his hair temporarily out of the way of his eye. “Hear me out. If you bring a boyfriend, then this new guy will realize this setup will never work and he’ll help you stop your aunt from making this a reoccurring thing. And I already know your friends, I can handle them. And you can just explain to them after and it will be no big deal.”

Sana had to concede his point. “It sounds crazy, but it may just work.” If she could calm down and go along with it anyways. Though this was certainly not going to help her get over him faster.

“Of course it’ll work. I told you I could help.”

“I have to meet Emir and take him with me to Noora’s. Are you okay to just meet us there? I’ll let her know that you are coming.”

“Okay, so I’ll see you – ”

“SANA WHERE ARE oh hi.” Elias stopped yelling as he reached the kitchen.

“What do you want?” She didn’t try to hide her annoyance.

“I don’t need you. I was just looking for Yousef and knew if I found you then I would find him too.” He didn’t pause long enough for Sana to process the implications or let Yousef defend himself. “I thought you were supposed to be helping me edit the video.”

“I am. Let’s go.” Yousef stood up and spun the chair back around to tuck it in to the table. He followed Elias back with a last smile over his shoulder at Sana.

***

S – Hey so about the party on Friday

S – I kind of need to add two people to the guest list if that’s cool

N – Any friend of yours is obviously cool and is welcome

S – I don’t know if friend is the right word…

N – Huh?

S – Umm

S – Wanna get coffee before class tomorrow? I’ll explain everything

N – Even if I wasn’t in your debt because of a certain email, I always want to get coffee with you.

N – Meet you at 8:00?

S – Sounds good

***

“So let me just make sure I have this all straight. You like Yousef, who is perfect for you by the way, but we both already knew that. But your aunt has set you up with some other guy. So Yousef is going to be your fake boyfriend so you don’t have to date this other guy. But we can’t tell anyone else because they might not sell it if they knew and also your family can’t find out that you have any fake boyfriend, let alone that boyfriend being Yousef.”

Sana took a long sip of her coffee as they walked up to the school. “Pretty much. Yeah.”

“Wouldn’t it just be easier to date Yousef?”

“No, because he doesn’t want to be my boyfriend. He only offered to be my fake boyfriend because I was upset and couldn’t think of anything else.”

Noora nudged her gently, “Yeah, because he wants to make you happy. Because he likes you. I’m telling you he – ”

Sana held up a hand to stop her “He’s just being nice because he is nice. If he liked me, I’d know. He’d say something.”

“Sounds like he is saying plenty,” Noora muttered, hopping to the side to avoid being muzzled by Sana.  “Anyways, I can’t wait to see how this plays out.”

“I didn’t tell you so that you can just watch. You have to help me out on Friday, okay? Play interference with Vilde and Eva and Eskild… oh this is going to be bad.”

Noora laughed. “This is going to be great.”

***

S – Hey, do you need Noora’s address or do you remember where she lives?

Y – My (fake) girlfriend! I didn’t know you had my phone number!

Y – Yeah I remember where she lives. I’m good.

S – You called me that day, remember? So I have your number.

Y – Sure, but you never use it

S – You never text me either

Y – Figured you wouldn’t want me to after you blocked me on Facebook

S – I didn’t block you!

Y – Yes, you did

S – No

S – I just unfriended you. Sorry.

S – I should probably fix that since you are supposed to be my fake boyfriend and all.

Y – It’s okay, I forgive you <3 I can’t be mad at my (fake) girlfriend

S – Haha

S – By the way, Noora knows what’s going on so she is going to help us out tomorrow

S – But she won’t tell anyone else

Y – Okay

***

The walk to Noora’s was fine. Emir seemed perfectly nice, but he also seemed interested. Maybe it was just Sana’s nerves making her overanalyze everything he said. She didn’t know, but she didn’t feel hopeful about how the night was going to go.

She had timed it to be purposely late so that maybe everyone would be a little drunk and not notice her inevitable drama that was going to play out. Sure enough, Eskild was pouring the last of a bottle of wine into his glass when Sana walked in the door. Linn, Chris and Eva were chatting on the couch while Vilde and Magnus argued with Isak and Evan about something in the kitchen. Probably about who was the cuter couple. Sana had seen that fight multiple times before.

“Sana! Finally!” Noora dragged William behind her to the door. With her free hand, she hugged Sana close to whisper “Everything okay so far?”

Sana nodded as she pulled back. “Emir, these are my friends, Noora and William.”

They moved away from the door while Noora asked Emir polite questions. When did you move here? Do you like it so far? What are you studying in university? Noora nodded politely and seemed to be listening but she was also leaning further into William. He had one arm wrapped around her waist with Noora’s arm overtop of his. His other hand was lightly running up her free arm which she absent mindedly reached up with to caress his cheek. They had been inseparable for the past couple weeks since William came back for her. Sana was happy for them, really. She didn’t regret sending the email and was thrilled to see her friend glowing after moping for months. But seeing them like this, Sana couldn’t help but feel a little jealous. Not that she would likely ever be that cuddly with anyone in public, but just to have someone you need that much need you back.

Sana pulled her focus back to the conversation she was supposed to be participating in.

Emir was still answering Noora’s last question, whatever that had been. “– really excited to start it. I doubt it will be as hard as medicine though. Sana was telling me how she wants to be a doctor”

“A surgeon, actually.”

Sana spun around to find that Yousef stepping up to her side. He grinned at her and before she knew what was going on she felt him take her hand. His grip was loose, hardly a grip at all. Like he was testing if it was okay.

She was holding Yousef’s hand. It was actually happening. Sana tried to contain her grin, and then she remembered that she didn’t have to. That she was allowed to smile back guilt free. Tonight, she didn’t have to hide anything she felt for him. Well, except for hiding the fact that it wasn’t fake for her.

“You’re here.” She squeezed his hand. She had no plans of letting go any time soon.

“Sorry, I was running late.”

She shook her head a little. “We just got here.”

“Oh good.” He turned his attention to her other side and Sana remembered that there were three other people watching this interaction. “Hi, I’m Yousef. Sana’s boyfriend.”

He extended his free hand and Emir only hesitated for a second before taking it. “Emir. Sana didn’t mention anything about a boyfriend.”

The friendly smile Yousef had been giving him fell away. “That’s probably because she’s embarrassed of me,” he deadpanned.

Sana side eyed him. “I’m only embarrassed when you throw grass at me. So immature.”

Shit. That was more genuine than she should have been. But the smile Yousef gave her was kind of worth it anyways.

“You’ll have to excuse them,” Noora said. “New love and all that. It’s a little obnoxious, I know.” She didn’t seem the get the irony that she had one hand tangled in William’s hair while speaking.

“SANA!”

Sana winced and waited for the impact she was sure was coming. Sure enough, three seconds later Vilde had bounded across the apartment and wrapped her arms around both Sana and Yousef from behind.

“What is this? Do you know that Yousef is holding your hand?”

“Yes Vilde,” Sana sighed.

“Are you together now?”

“Yup,” Yousef answered for her.

“How did I not know this? Usually I know everything first. CHRIS! EVA!” Sana winced from Vilde’s screaming. “SANA IS DATING YOUSEF.”

She gave Vilde an unimpressed look. “Did you really need to scream in my ear?” Sana disentangled herself from Vilde, but to do so she had to let go of Yousef’s hand. She stepped in front of him, away from Vilde.

Before she could decide if she should take his hand again, she felt him place his hands on her arms. She almost gasped. His touch was so light, his hands were barely resting on her, and yet she was more aware of them than anything else. She tried to steady her breath, hoping he wouldn’t notice.

“Oh my god!” Eva and Chris were looking at Sana and Yousef and Yousef’s hands and back at Sana and at each other.

“So I take it this is really recent if your friends don’t even know,” Emir commented.

“Who are you?” Vilde finally noticed that there was someone new with them.

“We’ve been keeping it quiet to put off telling our families,” Yousef said.

“He’s just worried Elias is going to kick his ass.” Sana looked up at him and Yousef was looking right back down at her.

“Yeah, I am actually.”

“SANA HAS A BOYFRIEND?!” Sana cringed as she heard Eskild pouncing towards them.

“Sorry about this,” she whispered to Yousef.

“Why would you need to apologize?”

He surely couldn’t be this daft. She gestured slightly at the girls and Eskild who were all still loudly freaking out right in front of them.

He leaned closer to her and Sana could smell his cologne. She hadn’t smelt that since the day with the carrots when it flustered her so much she had to change the radio.

“This is what I wanted,” he whispered so the others couldn’t hear. “I knew what I was signing up for.”

He pulled back slightly and Sana was acutely aware of the loss as air filled the space where he had been. He was still holding on to her arms, but now it just didn’t seem like quite enough. She wanted to lean back into him, like Noora did with William. But she couldn’t. This wasn’t actually real. And it was going to be that much harder to deal with the loss when it was over if she let herself go anymore now.

“I’m gonna grab some water.” She didn’t look at him and she stepped around him and headed for the kitchen.

Isak and Evan were talking closely by the sink but looked up when she approached.

“Sana, what’s all this commotion you brought with you?” Isak asked.

She tried to keep from blushing too much as she focused on remembering which cupboard had the glasses. “Oh, umm Yousef is here. As my date. My boyfriend, actually.”

“Sanasol!”

“Finally!”

Sana snapped around to look at Evan. “Finally?”

“That boy has been in love with you for forever,” Evan said.

“Huh?”

“It’s great he finally said something.”

Confusion didn’t exactly cover Sana’s state. In love with her? Evan definitely didn’t know what he was talking about. But Evan had spent nearly as much time at their house in the past as Yousef, so he couldn’t just be making this up from nothing.

She didn’t get a chance to ask him though as her friends found her again, all asking her questions at the same time. When did this happen? How many dates had she gone on? Why didn’t she tell them?

It took five minutes of avoiding questions with vague answers before she was able to extract herself and made her way to the couch. She had just a moment to breathe before Yousef sat down next to her and she lost her breath again.

He wasn’t even touching her, but he was sitting closer to her than he ever had before. He draped one arm across the back of the couch behind her.

“So far so good I think,” he whispered.

Sana could only nod in response before Eskild joined them on the couch with a whole bottle of wine.

“You two are just so cute! You’re going to join us next weekend too, right?”

“What’s happening next weekend?” Sana asked.

“Noora said that you guys were planning on having a beach party.”

Sana had completely forgotten. She had been so freaked out about this fake date that had barely been skimming through the group chat all week, but the girls had definitely mentioned something about the beach.

“Oh right, yeah I’ll be there. I don’t know about Yousef though. Don’t you umm have plans with the guys?”

This was only supposed to be for one night, and she didn’t want to force him into hanging out with her again next weekend. He had his own life after all. A life that she was on the periphery of. Just Elias’ little sister, sometimes around the house at the same time as him.

“What are we talking about?” Emir had wandered over to stand in front of Sana. Shit, she had almost completely forgotten that she was supposed to be looking after him and introducing him to people. Even if she didn’t want to date him, it didn’t mean that he didn’t need to meet new people in Oslo.

“We’re going to the beach next Saturday,” Eskild said. “Are you going to join us too my new friend?”

“The beach could be fun. Yeah, I would like to join,” Emir said.

“And I’ll be there too,” Yousef joined in. “It’s Friday that I’m supposed to be with the guys, not Saturday.”

“This is going to be so fun,” Eskild said.

Sana wasn’t sure fun was the word she would use. More like torture. She was still all too aware of Yousef’s arm, resting just a few centimeters behind her. His leg was almost pressed against hers. She couldn’t concentrate on anything except his presence. Wait, had he been sitting that close before? He must have moved closer to make room for Eskild.

“Yeah, fun” she said.

She barely knew what happened the rest of the night. Emir stuck close to her the rest of the time, so Yousef stayed even closer to her. He was a great fake boyfriend, noticing when she was low on water and saving her when Eva almost spilled her drink on Sana. He had pulled her back just in time to keep her shoes from being splashed with beer. She couldn’t really focus or care about what was happening with everyone else when Yousef’s presence was so distracting.

She had promised her mom that she would be home by midnight so at 23:30 she told Emir she needed to head home and could drop him at his place on the way.

“I’ll come with you two,” Yousef said.

“We’ll be okay,” Emir said. “I don’t think Sana needs your help to find her way home.”

“No, but she will be alone once she drops you off if I don’t come with her.”

Sana could have insisted that she could walk home alone. Should have insisted, maybe. Emir was only living a ten minute walk from her home. But Yousef took her hand again, this time holding on tightly, and all she could say was “Thanks.”

The walk to Emir’s new house was quiet and awkward. Sana knew she should probably make an effort to break the tension, but she just didn’t have it in her.

“I guess I’ll see you Saturday night,” Emir said as they got to his door.

“Yeah. Good night.”

“It was good to meet you, Emir,” Yousef said.

As Emir unlocked his door, Sana and Yousef continued down the road.

“So about Saturday,” Sana started and stalled.

“What about it?”

“You don’t have to come,” she rushed through the words. She didn’t want to say them, but she knew she had to give him an out. He had only agreed to come because Emir had walked up during the conversation. “I mean, I really appreciate you doing this for me tonight. But you only agreed to one night. You shouldn’t be forced in to spending more time with me. And my friends. With me and my friends.”

She was rambling. Sana never rambled.

Yousef stopped walking, forcing Sana to stop too since he still held her hand. “You don’t want me to come?”

“No, it’s not that. It’s just that you just said yes because of this.” She held up their linked hands in demonstration. “Because you were being a good fake boyfriend.”

“How do you know that is why I said yes?”

Sana tried to hold his gaze, but he was looking at her too intensely. “Why else would you say yes?” She tried to turn away, to keep walking, but Yousef grabbed her other hand, forcing her to spin back towards him.

“Because I want to spend time with you. Because tonight was the best night that I can remember. Because I want this to be real.”

Fuck. Sana had to be imagining things. It had to be a dream. There was no way that Yousef Acar, the guy she had had a crush on for years, could be standing there draped in moonlight telling her that he actually liked her.

“Real?” Sana barely choked out the word.

“Real,” Yousef whispered gently. “I wasn’t pretending tonight.”

“Me either.”

She couldn’t believe she just said that. She couldn’t believe he just said that. Her first instinct was to take it back, to deny her feelings, just like she had been doing for years.

But Yousef pulled her into a hug. Her face pressed into his chest. His arms wrapped around her, pinning her to him. It only took her a half second to catch up with what had happened. She clung to him just as strongly as he was holding on her to her.

She could have stay like that all night. The word ‘real’ kept replaying in her head over and over. Sana didn’t know how much time had passed when she felt Yousef say something.

She pulled back a little so that she could hear him and face him, but she didn’t dare actually let go of him. “What did you say?”

“I think we’re soulmates.”

Soulmates. She’d never actually considered soulmates before, but as soon as he says it she knows it fits them. She had never felt like she belonged anywhere before, not Norwegian enough, not Muslim enough to fit in. But here, in his arms, this is exactly where she is meant to be. She just knows it.

“I think you’re right.”

She’d never seen him smile like that before. His whole face was more lit up than she has ever seen. And she didn’t have to look away. She didn’t have to try to cover her own grin.

“So does that mean you will let me be your date to the beach next Saturday?” he asked.

“Okay.”

“Your real date, not your fake date, right?”

Sana rolled her eyes. “Yes, of course.”

Yousef nodded. “Good, now let’s get you home before you miss curfew and Elias gets sent to find you.”

They broke apart, but Yousef took her hand again as they started walking.

“He really is going to kick your ass. Elias that is.”

“You’ll just have to protect me then. If you stay close to me, he will never risk hurting you.”

“You want to use me as a shield?”

“No, I just want a reason to always have you with me. Once Elias accepts that you are not going to let him hurt me, I will have to find another excuse.”

Sana would have hovered by her door with him all night, but she didn’t want to get caught with him by her mom again. So she made him promise to text her when he gets home and slipped inside.

Just as she closed her bedroom door behind her, her phone beeped.

Y – What would you say if I said I missed you already?

Sana grinned and sunk onto her bed to answer.

S – I’d call you a dork.

S – You only left me a minute ago. You weren’t supposed to text me until you get home safe.

Y – Yeah but I couldn’t wait. You should be impressed I waited a whole minute.

S – Dork.

S – Focus on where you are going. It’s dark out. And you don’t have me to protect you.

Y – It is true, I don’t have my tough girl with me now.

S – Are you home yet?

Y – Not yet

S – Don’t text me again until you are

She left her phone on her bed while she took of her hijab, changed into her pajamas, and went to brush her teeth.

When she picked it up again, her phone was blinking with 3 new messages.

Y – Okay.

Y – I’m home now.

Y – Sana?

S – I was getting ready for bed. I’m glad you got home safe.

Y – I had to get home safe otherwise I would miss our date next week

Y – Good night (not fake) girlfriend <3

S – Night Yousef <3

Sana had a terrible time trying to sleep. She couldn’t shut her mind off, it just kept playing the same words over and over. Real. Girlfriend. Soulmates.

Soulmates.


	2. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This takes place several years after the previous chapter.

Sana heard him when he walked in to the kitchen, but she was trying to actually be productive, so she ignored him. Or tried to. He never made it easy on her.

She heard the fridge door open and close. The sound of a glass being set on the counter. The drink being poured. The fridge opening and closing again. His footsteps as he walked around the counter. He made too much noise when he walked. If he was lighter on his toes, he might be able to pivot faster in basketball. But he was clunky and she could sneak around him to score.

He didn’t pick up the chair all the way and it scrapped across the kitchen floor as he brought it to her side. She felt his leg brush up against hers as he sat down. She smelt his cologne as he leaned all too close to read over her shoulder. She had got him that cologne as part of his birthday present. It was the same one he had been wearing around the time they started dating and therefore it was Sana’s favourite.

She could keep this up all afternoon. She didn’t want to, but she would so that she could count it as a win. The hard part was trying to keep a straight face as she thoroughly ignored him and reached for another stamp. She affixed it to the envelope she had in front of her and moved it to the pile on her left.

“Do you want any help?” he asked.

“I win.” Sana turned to find him exactly where she knew he would be: temptingly close to her.

“Maybe,” Yousef shrugged.

“Definitely.”

His hair was in his eyes as usual, so Sana pushed it away from his face for him. It was a temporary measure, as it fell right back. It gave Sana an excuse to touch him though, and she loved hearing him inhale sharply every time she did. As if she hadn’t done it a thousand times before. It was always good to be reminded that she took his breathe away though. So sweet even after all this time.

“I concede that you won this battle, but I’m winning the war.”

Sana was unimpressed. “How are you winning the war?”

“I’ve convinced you to marry me. That means I have our whole lives to win the war because you will be stuck with me forever.”

Despite the smile he was giving her, Sana rolled her eyes. “You are such a sap.”

“But it’s true. Look,” he picked up her left hand and held it in front of her. “See, I proposed. You said yes. You’re wearing the ring and everything.”

What a ring it was. The diamond was lovely, but the band was rose gold and that was the part Sana loved most. The gold was in two strands that twisted around each other, impossible to separate, forever joined.

“Oh was this from you? Are you sure?”

Yousef was not taking her teasing too well today. “Of course it’s from me! It was an epic proposal. There were carrots involved. Don’t act like you don’t remember.”

Sana nodded a little. “That sounds somewhat familiar. Who are you again though?”

He reached around her and picked up one of the invitations off the table to wave in her face. “I’m Yousef Acar. Yousef. See? The one who is marrying Sana Bakkoush in the spring. It says so right here.”

Taking the invitation from him, Sana examined it slowly. “Hmm. I see. Well then, if you are indeed this Yousef Acar, why are you not helping me mail out these invitations? If it was your wedding and not just mine, you would think you would help out with this.”

“The first thing I did was offer to help when I walked in!”

Sana laughed. “That was five minutes ago. I kind of forgot about that.”

“You just enjoy winding me up.”

“Maybe,” she shrugged. “But you love me anyways.”

“In fact, I love you for it, not just anyways. And a few dozen other reasons. Would you like me to list them?”

He had wrapped one arm around her shoulders and she allowed herself to sink into his embrace. “What I would really like you to do,” she tilted her face up towards him, “Is to help address these envelopes. My hand is getting sore.”

“We cannot have a surgeon with a sore hand. That just won’t do.” He gently took her right hand in his left and started massaging it. “That’s how we are going to make all our money to fund our football team.”

“Basketball team.”

“Basketball team,” he agreed. “Show me what I’m supposed to be doing.”

Sana used her free hand to pick up the stack of papers in front of her. “Here is the guest list complete with addresses. You write the names and addresses on the envelopes. Then you stick an invitation inside, seal it up, add a stamp, and we take them all to the post office.”

“I can do that,” he said as he began flipping through the pages.

“No, you don’t need to flip through. Just go in order, like I was. And mark them off as you go.”

She tried to grab the papers back from him, but he quickly raised his arm out of her reach. Sana was out of her chair in a second, but he knew what was coming and jumped up just as fast. His height advantage didn’t help him as much as it should have when they played basketball, but he made up for it when he tried to play keep away.

She sat back down with her arms crossed knowing that she would not win this quarrel. She did give him her best icy glare though. It wasn’t a look he saw too often since they started dating. He quickly sat back down beside her.

“There are a couple special invitations I want to address,” he explained.

“I hope it wasn’t anyone from your family because I am almost done with all the Acars on the list.”

“Nope.”

He flipped through a few pages and apparently found what he was looking for. This time it was Sana sitting too close, reading over his shoulder. Yousef didn’t mind though and spent almost as much time grinning at her as he did addressing the envelope in front of him.

“My aunt? Why is my aunt’s invitation so important to you?”

“It’s one of two important invitations.” He handed her the finished envelope to stuff with an invitation while he flipped through more pages.

“I think several members of both of our families, not to mention our friends, would have an issue with you saying there are only two important invitations.”

“You know what I mean.”

Sana shook her head. For once she didn’t know what he was getting at. Until she glanced at whose address he was copying out.

“Emir! He barely even made the guest list.”

“Yeah well, I think that your aunt and Emir deserve a little bit of credit for this wedding. Just a little. Most of the credit goes to us, and maybe Elias for having good taste in friends.”

“Are you saying that you are only marrying me because you got jealous of Emir?”

“Absolutely not. I was not jealous.” Yousef glanced over and saw the look Sana was giving him. “Okay I was a little jealous. But mostly, when you told me your aunt was setting you up with a maybe husband, I realized I had no right to be jealous. Sure, I was in love with you. I’d loved you for years. But I hadn’t said anything. Hadn’t done anything about it. And suddenly I could have lost you before I even tried to convince you to look at me twice.”

Sana felt the blush taking over her cheeks. He really loved her. Which was good because she really loved him too. But it was still nice to hear him be a dork about it.

Sana slid her chair a little closer so that she could tuck herself in his waiting arms. “You didn’t need to convince me,” she whispered into his ear.

“I didn’t know that yet,” he whispered back. “So your aunt and Emir gave me the reason I needed to speak up.”

“You mean to fake ask me out?”

“Okay, well they gave me a reason, but they hadn’t given me the courage I needed to ask you out for real. I didn’t get that until you held my hand even after Emir had left.”

“I think what you’re saying is that all the credit goes to me.”

“You can have all the credit for anything you want. Always.”

“What I don’t want is all the credit for getting these invitations ready. So how about you address more than just two?”

“I can do that. But can we just stay like this for a few more minutes first?”

Sana murmured her assent with her head lying gently against his chest. The invitations could wait for this.

 


End file.
